Quick Thai Lemongrass Chicken Curry
Serves 2 (generous portions)
A QUICK AND HEALTHY MEAL
Looking for a new way to use leftover roast chicken?
Want a healthy and delicious meal on the table in less than 20 minutes? Then I got you covered!
One of the most popular recipes (if not THE most popular) on my blog is my Turmeric & Lemongrass Coconut Fish Curry and I would be cheating if I didn’t admit that this is basically the same recipe, albeit I’ve substituted cooked roast chicken for the fish. It is so versatile that it also works very well as a vegan dish with lentils and tofu too, so stay tuned for that recipe in the coming weeks.
I love a quick meal. And it doesn’t get much quicker than 19 minutes (yup, I timed myself last time I made this!). I also like to double up and batch cook the broth and pop it in the freezer. That way, I can have a fish, chicken or vegan curry ready so easily depending on what kind of protein-y mood I am in.
This fragrant and flavoursome dish is absolutely perfect for the winter months as it is full of warming spices that have anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties, helping our immune systems to fight off all of those germs. The ginger, turmeric and lemongrass pack a real Thai flavour punch and the spiciness from the chillies are perfectly offset by the soothing coconut milk. Of course, if you are not partial to spicy food, then simply leave out the chillies, the other ingredients more than make up for it in terms of flavour.
NUTRITION FACTS
Garlic is a powerful anti-microbial food (especially if you are brave enough to eat it raw!) and the active constituent of ginger is a compound called gingerol that is especially helpful at fighting infections in the respiratory tract.
I LOVE using turmeric in my recipes and constantly live my life with stained yellow fingers as a result! Incredibly, it has some of the most reliable scientific backing when it comes to its alleged super powers. The active ingredient in turmeric is called Curcumin and it has potent antioxidant capabilities that have been shown to help with a whole variety of health concerns, from arthritis to digestive problems. Western medicine has begun to study turmeric as a pain reliever, as an anti-inflammatory, and as a healing agent. Amazingly, curcumin has also shown promise as having both protective effects against cancer and even potential as part of cancer treatment itself. But whilst the laboratory research is incredibly promising, there is currently no conclusive evidence to show that turmeric can prevent or treat cancer in humans.
However, turmeric on it’s own is not particularly well absorbed by the body. It needs to be consumed with a fat (like the oil and coconut milk in this recipe) and some black pepper. The active ingredient in black pepper is called piperine and research has shown that by combining the piperine and the turmeric, it can actually enhance the curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%!
One serving provides 594 calories, 36g of good quality protein and also provides a third of my daily fibre and Vitamin C requirements.
INGREDIENTS
· 120g Red Onions
· 100g Leeks
· 6 Garlic Cloves
· 15g Fresh Turmeric (or 1 tbsp Ground Turmeric Powder)
· 15g Fresh Ginger
· ½–1 tsp Fresh Red Chilli depending on how spicy you like it
· 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves (if you can find them, but not essential)
· 3 sticks Fresh Lemongrass
· Juice & Zest from 1 Lime
· 200-220g Roast Chicken – shredded
· 250ml Unsweetened Coconut Milk (if you like it very creamy, then use coconut milk from a tin; but if you like a lighter and less intense coconut-y flavour then use a drinkable carton)
· 250ml Vegetable stock
· 1 tsp Olive Oil to sauté
· 1 x 250g Pre-cooked Grain Pouch (I used Merchant Gourmet Red Rice & Quinoa)
· Salt & fresh black pepper to taste
· Fresh Coriander to garnish
METHOD
· Dice the onions and leeks.
· Finely dice the chilli and the lemongrass (remove the first 2-3 tough outer layers first and only use the softer bendier middle part).
· Mince the garlic and grate the ginger and turmeric.
· Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onions and leeks until they are just starting to brown (approximately 5-7 minutes).
· Add the garlic, chilli, lemongrass, turmeric and ginger and fry for one more minute before adding the coconut milk and kafir lime leaves (if using).
· Simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavours infuse.
· Add the shredded roast chicken, a pre-cooked grain pouch and the vegetable stock.
· Simmer for another 5 minutes (making sure the chicken has been fully reheated).
· Add the juice and zest of 1 lime.
· Season with a little salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
· Don’t forget to remove the kaffir lime leaves before serving.
· Garnish with some fresh coriander.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories – 594
Protein – 36g
Fat – 17g
Carbohydrates – 71g
Fibre – 8g (30%)
Vitamin A – 17%
Vitamin C – 33%
Calcium – 19%
Iron – 7%